Have a Healthy Halloween and Holiday Season with North Coast Organic

According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly one out of five children in the United States is obese. That’s triple the rate from just one generation ago. A major contributor to this high obesity in children is their consumption of high-calorie, low-nutrient foods and beverages.

Let’s face it, starting around Halloween, and then lasting right on through the New Year, kids (and adults) are surrounded by loads of sweets. Trick or treat candy is closely followed by Thanksgiving, with all of its baked goods. Then, comes the holiday season, celebrated with candy canes and cookies. For good reason, many parents worry that their kids might over indulge, all the way to obesity.

Healthy eating habits start at home

There is a lot that parents can do to help their children learn healthy eating habits that will stay with them for a lifetime. One important lesson they can teach is, when you eat sweets, do so in moderation. Halloween is a perfect time to set that example.

When kids come back from their rounds of trick or treating, parents can go through their load of candy, and help them decide how much they can reasonably eat in one week. Then, store the rest of the candy for later. With their parents help, children can learn that sweets are to be enjoyed over time.

Provide nutritious treats and snacks

Parents can also set an example by providing healthier treats and snacks all throughout the holiday season. North Coast Organic can be part of that plan.

We make apple sauce in pouches that can be handed out at Halloween, in place of candy, for a delicious and satisfying treat. They can also be brought for classroom parties, especially now that classrooms are asking more for nutritious offerings rather than cupcakes, cookies, and candy. Our apple sauce is healthy because we use only USDA certified organic apples grown right here in the United States. We don’t add sugars, preservatives, colorings or flavorings, including ascorbic acid, so kids get just fresh fruit goodness!

Kids love our four varieties of apple sauce: regular apple sauce, apple sauce with berries, apple sauce with cinnamon, and apple sauce with strawberries. Because our apple sauces can be squeezed right from the pouch, children don’t need a spoon to enjoy them.

Teachers love it when parents bring in healthy drinks as well. Most juices out on the market are full of added sugars, but since North Coast doesn’t believe in adding anything to their products, you can be assured that there is only organic apples in the ingredient list. No added sugar and NEVER from concentrate!

Healthy holiday treats

Many families have a holiday tradition of making cookies and other treats. Baking with children is a great way to tap into everyone’s creativity and enjoy special time together. North Coast Organic can help there as well. Holiday treats made with our organic apple sauce are lower in sugar because our products are naturally sweet. Some recipes leave out the sugar altogether!

For apple-based treats that you can make with your children during the holidays, here are a few of our favorite recipes:

North Coast Power Balls

North Coast Celebration Apple Stars

North Coast Apple Bars

However you choose to celebrate Halloween and the holiday season, we hope that it is happy and healthy!

North Coast Organic apple products are made in Sebastopol, CA from U.S. grown certified organic apples. They contain no added sugars, preservatives, colorings or flavorings.